This invention relates to a speed sensor for a watercraft and more particularly to an improved mounting arrangement for a watercraft speed sensor.
A wide variety of devices have been proposed for indicating watercraft speed. One of the most effective and simplest watercraft speed indicators employs a forwardly facing water inlet opening that is submerged in the body of water in which the watercraft is operating and which is adapted to be impacted by the dynamic water pressure as the watercraft travels through a body of water. Some arrangement is provided for sensing the water pressure at this opening and converting the sensed pressure into a speed indication positioned in proximity to the operator. Although this type of speed sensor has a number of advantages, there are some disadvantages with it.
One of the main disadvantages of this type of speed sensor is the arrangement which must be employed for mounting the speed sensing pressure pick up. Normally this is done by affixing the pressure pick up at a location relative to the hull and wherein it will be submerged in the body of water in which the watercraft is operating at all times. If the speed sensor is so mounted, then it may very well be positioned in an area where it can be easily damaged. This is particularly true if the watercraft is of a type which is frequently beached, as is often times the case.
In addition to the aforenoted problems in the original mounting of the watercraft speed sensor, it is also desirable that the sensor be mounted in such a way that it can be easily disassembled from the watercraft and replaced and/or serviced. The prior art type of sensor mountings simply have not offered these possibilities and have presented the problems aforenoted.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved watercraft speed sensor.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a mounting arrangement for a watercraft speed sensor that will permit the speed sensor to be protected, even if the watercraft is being beached and which will afford ease of removal for servicing and/or replacement.
The problems as aforenoted are particularly present in connection with speed sensors for jet propelled watercraft. Jet propelled watercraft are of a type which are frequently beached, particularly when used in conjunction with small personal type watercraft. In addition, it is desirable to mount the speed sensor in such a way that the discharge from the jet propulsion unit of the watercraft will not adversely affect the speed signal.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved speed sensing arrangement for a jet propelled watercraft.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved speed sensor and mounting arrangement that may be employed in conjunction with jet propelled watercraft.